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Indonesia deports Russian social media star for partying in breach of pandemic restrictions
- Bali immigration officials began investigating Sergei Kosenko after he posted a video showing him driving a motorcycle off a pier into the sea
- The Russian, who has more than 4.9 million followers on Instagram, said he was sorry for engaging in activities that violated his tourist visa
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Associated Pressin Denpasar, Indonesia
A Russian social media celebrity was being deported from Indonesia on Sunday after he held a party at a luxury hotel on the resort island of Bali attended by more than 50 people despite coronavirus restrictions.
The party held on January 11 violated health protocols put in place to fight the spread of the virus, said Jamaruli Manihuruk, chief of the Bali regional office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.
Sergei Kosenko, who has more than 4.9 million followers on his Instagram account, arrived in Indonesia in October on a tourist visa.
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Immigration officials in Bali decided to examine Kosenko’s activities after he posted to social media a video of him driving a motorcycle with a female passenger on the back off a pier into the sea in December. The stunt was condemned by many Indonesians as reckless and potentially hazardous to the environment.
Manihuruk said the immigration investigation found Kosenko took part in activities that violated his tourist visa, such as promoting companies and products.
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